In the era of TikTok and targeted ads, we get so many fashion inspo options in a day—whether we like it or not. But what I’m personally missing from the fashion inspo of yore (the era of rifling through printed magazines and fashion blog posts outside of Instagram and Twitter threads) is how I get to know the very human and relatable reasons behind a person’s outfit choices. In other words, I’m nosy.
So I asked the people behind Preen and our sister brands about their real fashion inspos. Here’s what they told me.
Demna Gvasalia
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Neal, videographer: “In a time when we’re often overstimulated with choices for what to do with our bodies and what to put on it, I often find myself going back to classic styles. Knowing your body and your silhouette helps ensure that you tailor trends to your vision and not the other way around. As of the moment, I’m really into the work of Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia and the way he fuses the old with the currentness of the now. Superstars like Rihanna and Lady Gaga, who push me to look at fashion outside of monolithic trends, combined with observing how real people dress on the street, give me all the inspiration I need as well.”
“Mamma Mia!”
Andreiana, content creator, Nolisoli.ph: “My biggest fashion inspiration (and inspiration in general) is the 2008 jukebox movie-musical and box-office hit, ‘Mamma Mia!’ and its critically acclaimed 2018 sequel, ‘Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!’ Aside from the fact that that movie owns my entire life, the fashion in the films was a Moment. Overalls, flared silhouettes, and fun prints? Perfection.”
Samantha Klein
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Zofiya, associate editor: “Everyone and their mother knows by now that I used to be a lolita, and even though I left the fashion [community], Jfashion bloggers like Mila de Blois and Ophelia still have me in a chokehold. These days though, my biggest style peg in general is Samantha Klein. I love her kooky maximalist pastel house and her colorful semi-’60s throwback fashion. I’m so ready to paint my walls and take cute mirror selfies, too.”
“Totally Spies!”
Jelou, associate editor, Scoutmag: “I deal with everyday doom by going back to my roots (a.k.a. rewatching my childhood shows, like “Totally Spies!”). While I can’t be with Alex, Sam, and Clover in the WOOHP headquarters and have my own compowder, I can take a page from their style book: knee-high boots, flare pants, leg warmers, halter tops, all things floral. We love cartoon characters that actually change clothes!”
Harry Styles circa 2015
Kat, content creator, Scoutmag: “Harry Styles in his 2015 era continues to live in my brain. While I’d love to layer with leather jackets but can’t since I’m in this sweltering side of the world, taking a few cues from Harry’s looks seems like a safer midpoint. It’s the combo of printed button-down shirts, black jeans, Chelsea boots, and messy hair that does it for me.”
Kook Yeon-su of “Our Beloved Summer”
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Pauline, managing editor, Nolisoli.ph: “I’m actually not too adventurous when it comes to fashion. I’d call my style normcore at best. (Do people still use ‘normcore’?). My biggest inspiration is probably Uniqlo’s mannequins and lookbooks. Kidding. I guess lately it would be K-dramas. I just really love how stylish yet effortless they look. Current peg is Kim Da-mi’s character in ‘Our Beloved Summer,’ Kook Yeon-su.”
Ssssukay
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Amrie, content creator: “As a person who believes that they can’t afford the style that they want, I find Ssssukay really inspiring. The online ukay shop is full of super cute finds and reworked pieces like its pamaypay tops and pillowcase pullovers. I love how it’s not afraid to mix and match really colorful pieces, too. I’m also a fan of the artistic sensibilities of Glorious Dias’ Jodinand Aguillon which I would describe as classic, playful, chic, queer, and very Filipino. Is he not one of the most stylish people in the country? Statement pieces galore!”
Jisoo from Blackpink
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Niña, copy editor: “As much as I try to get out of my fashion comfort zone, I feel like I just keep getting reeled back to preppy clothes. I don’t doubt ‘Clueless’ has a hand in this. The top-tier teen film was a revelation for my tween self: It served look after look, from Cher’s yellow school ’fit to her white mini Calvin Klein dress. Over the past year I’ve been following Blackpink’s Jisoo because of her classic style, which I feel like Cher would still wear today. (Jisoo wore a tartan yellow dress to a Dior show, so *maybe* Cher is an inspo of hers, too!)”
Photo from Ssssukay’s Instagram page
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